Improvement in stave-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. THOMPSON, OF GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT IN STAVE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,320, dated .August8, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN S. THOMPSON, of Glens Falls, in the countyofWarren and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedStave-Machine and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled inthe art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure l, Sheet No. l, is a longitudinal vertical section of myinvention, taken in the line w m, Fig.2 5 Fig.2, a transverse verticalsection of the same, taken iu the-line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 3, Sheet No. 2,a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line z z, Fig.l; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the linex fr', Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to anew and improved machine for chamfering andcrozing staves, and also for sawing them of a uniform length, theseveral operations above named being performed simultaneously or at thesame time, and the work performed in a perfect manner, by a very simplemechanism.

A represents a framing, which may be constructed in any proper manner tosupport the working parts, and B is a shaft placed in the upper part ofthe framing, and having a pinion, O, on its inner end, which gears intoa pinion, l), on a shaft, E, the latter having two wheels, F F, upon it,provided with teeth, around which two endless chains, G G, pass, thelatter also passing around similar wheels, H H, on a shaft, I, in theframing, the chains G G being parallel with each other and having ahorizontal position in the framing.

On the shaft B there is placed loosely a pulley, J, which may beconnected with the shaft B when desired, so as to communicate motion toit by means of a clutch, K, arranged in the usual or in any propermanner, the pulley J being actuated so as to be connected with ordisconnected from B hy means of a lever, L. (See Fig. l.)

By means of the gears and shafting above described motion is given tothe endless chains G G.

M is a shaft in the lower part of the framing A, from which motion iscommunicated to a shaft, N, by means of a belt, O. This shaft M has adriving-pulley, P, at one end of it, and the shaft N communicates motionto the pulley J by means of a belt, Q.

R is a shaft in the upper part of the framing A, to which motion iscommunicated from tion, extending from the heads U U to the saws T T.

The crozing-cutters W W are of Vshape, and are secured to thecutter-heads Uby means of caps a and screws or bolts b.

The links c of the chains G G are provided with lateral projections d,one at each side, and these chains pass between guides H H",

which are secured in the framing A in such a position that the upperparts of the chains will work or pass between the guides, (see moreparticularly Fig. 1,) the projections d passing through grooves in theinnersides of the guides.

To the upper cross-piece, e, of the framing A there are secured, bypendent bars or frames f, horizontal plates X, and underneath theseplates there are horizontal plates Y, which are attached to uprights g,the latter being allowed to slide vertically in the framing, and restingon the inner ends of levers Z Z, which have weights A on theirouterends,'said weights having a tendency to keep the plates Y elevated quiteclose to the plates X,`as will be fullyunderstood by referring to Fig.4.

Certain links of the chains G G have hooks h formed or cast on them,there being two links without hooks between two which are provided withthem, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. These hooks h serve to hold the staves`on the chains and carry them to the saws and cutters.

The operation is as follows: Power is applied to the shaft M, and thechains G G, saws T, and cutter-heads U move in the direction indicatedby the arrows. The staves (shown in red) are carried by the chains G Gto the saws and cutters, and while the staves are beiiig acted upon bythe `saws and cutters the staves near their ends pass between the fixedplates X and the yielding plates Y. These plates serve to hold thestaves firmly in position while being formed and in a perfect manner,and the machine attended by any one of ordinary ability. The yieldingplates Y conform to the different thicknesses of l[he staves.

Having thus described my inventiom claim as newr and desire to secure byLetters Patent- The combination ofthe endless chains GG, guides H HX,circular saws T, cutter-heads U, Glitters V W, plates X, and yieldingplates Y, all constructed, arranged, and operating as and for thepurposes described.

JOHN S. THOMPSON.

Witnesses MEREDITH B. LITTLE, D. B. KETCHUM.

